What is the Active Shooter Alert Bill?

THE HOUSE of Representatives passed a new bill on July 13, 2022, known as the Active Shooter Alert Bill.

The bill would allow police to send an Amber Alert-type message to the public when an active shooter is nearby.

What is the Active Shooter Alert Bill?

The Active Shooter Alert Bill is a piece of legislation that lawmakers approved with a 260-169 vote on July 13, 2022.

If it passes the Senate with majority approval, it will be sent to President Biden to sign into law.

The bill proposes that police send Amber Alert-type messages to the public when an active shooter is nearby.

The bill was sponsored by Representatives David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island, and Fred Upton. R-Michigan.

What would the bill do?

Currently, police rely on Twitter and other social media channels to alert the public to active shooter events.

This method hasn’t proven very effective, and an alert that automatically pings to every active smartphone in the area could help more people shelter in place faster.

The police already have this technology, and it can use geolocation features to narrow down the area to send alerts to entire states or down to as small as a 0.1-mile radius.

In addition to the alerts system, the bill proposes nominating an Active Shooter Alert Coordinator within the Department of Justice.

This individual would work with state and local police departments to ensure they use best practices when implementing the alerts and responding to active shooter situations.

What did the representatives say about the bill?

Rep. Mike Thompson of California said, “As the father of a deputy sheriff, I know how important it is for law enforcement to rapidly distribute accurate information to the general public following a crisis like a mass shooting.”

“The Active Shooter Alert Act is a much-needed bill that will create an active shooter alert system for law enforcement, providing them with the tools they need to help provide our communities with timely information during an active shooter situation.

“I am proud to work with a bipartisan coalition of my colleagues, led by Reps. Cicilline and Upton, to make this a reality and ultimately save lives.”